Imagining a Football-less Tuscaloosa

With the COVID-19 virus gaining more traction as expected, Tuscaloosa residents are beginning to accept the harsh reality that may come this fall. There is a strong chance that the NCAA football season will not be played, robbing the T-town faithful of their near and dear Crimson Tide.

In a town that prioritizes sports so much to the point that one single home game can generate $18 million according to the Tuscaloosa Chamber, there is a lot to be concerned with from an economic standpoint. Even then, there is a lot to dread from purely a quality of life standpoint.

“It’s going to make the town a shell of itself,” said Sam Jones, a sports journalism student at the University. “I can’t think of a place, sports speaking, that is going to take to take this any harder.”

While the season’s cancellation is not set in stone, there will be a lot of logistical issues to take care of leading up to the Crimson Tide’s season opener against USC in September.

For one, there have already been a myriad of international sporting events cancelled that would seem to be on paper, even less of a COVID-19 threat than the infrastructure required for an NCAA football season. For example, the historic Wimbledon tennis championships only fit 15,000 people whereas Bryant-Denny stadium’s 101,821 seat capacity will be an even larger problem, especially considering the country’s current 10-person rule.

One of the bigger problems will be the upcoming summer practices that would have been held. Now, that is looking unlikely considering that past pandemics have taken anywhere from 12 to 36 months to pass over and those did not even require social isolation. The 12-week quarantine recommended for pregnant women and adults will last until early June, just the time that student-athletes typically return to campus for summer training.

Unless the virus goes exactly according to plan, in a situation with no real plan, there will be a strong likelihood that at best, the season will at least be delayed.

Described as “a sports fan’s worst nightmare” by Tuscaloosa resident Chris Torrence, the University remains all-in to avoid the situation.

“I’ve said many times before how special it is that we all come together for the Crimson Tide, no matter our background or beliefs. Sports are such a unifying force, and we look forward to being back, cheering on our teams, as soon as possible,” UA Director of Athletics Greg Byrne said in an interview with the Tuscaloosa News.”

The University’s current stadium renovations remain active despite the obvious halt in much local business activity, hoping to finish for just that—the chance of hosting a Sept. 12 season opener.

With the University itself unsure of how even the summer semester will play out from an in-person standpoint, the football season remains even more unlikely to some.

“If campus can’t even be open for class, I think football of all things may not even be the town’s biggest problem as crazy as that sounds, the school itself is really what ties this all together,” said recent UA graduate Dane Burgos.